Blimey! We've only gone and hit 50% of our crowdfunding target! Can't really say just how grateful we are to each and every one-hundred-and-eighty-one of you fabulous, amazing, brilliant folk who have helped us get this far. Honestly, there are no supurlatives that do justice here. So, let us simply say, firstly, THANK YOU. It's all downhill from here.
This week, we'll also be sending you all an EXCLUSIVE sneak preview of one of Rosie's latest illustrations for the book - so do keep an eye out on your inboxes.
Now, while we've smashed this latest hurdle, the next 25% or so may just be the hardest part of the campaign yet, and so we're asking you all if you could please lend us your paws once more...
By reaching the half-way mark, we know that all we need to do (in theory) is pull off the same thing again and we'll reach 100%, Unbound editors and designers can get to work on the book, and we can publish it and get it sent out to bookstores around the UK.
So, we're asking each of you to go out and find a friend/family member/long-lost aquaintance and get them to pledge for 'Philosophers' Dogs'.
Word of mouth and direct connections are so important at this stage, but if everyone were able to do this, we'd get through this next hurdle easily.
Please do continue sharing our posts on Facebook and Twitter - but please, also, send the link to this campaign directly to your contacts over email/private message or - even better - in person.
We know that you're doing us a real favour here, so we want to make this as easy as possible for you. As such, we've put together some ready-made messages that you can copy and paste when messaging people to spread the gospel truth about the philosophers' dogs that we owe so much to.
"Hello there old sport/friend/mum/dad/aunt Susan/your majesty/your holiness (delete as appripriate). Hope everything's going well your side! I wanted to let you know about this incredible book that my friend/nemesis/long-lost relative Sam and his sister, Rosie, has created.
It's called 'Philosophers' Dogs' and it's a humorous illustrated book perfect for coffee tables and bookshelves. What's more, it combines two of the best things - philosophy and, perhaps more importantly, dogs! I know you love stumbling upon cool new creative projects like this, and you always talk about your pet dog/philosopher, so I thought you'd like this.
'Philosophers' Dogs' is being published by an award-winning publishing company called Unbound, who use crowdfunding to help support the books they publish. This means that we need your help to make the book a reality. I've already pledged for one of the rewards on offer through the campaign, and it would be so so excellent if you could do the same - we'll both get our names printed in the back of every copy of the book that gets sold, so we can really, genuinely play a part in actually publishing a book - which is pretty fantastic!
There are loads of rewards on offer - from signed copies of the book to personalised portraits (should that be 'PAW-traits'?) of your own dog. Plus, you get access to loads of exclusive content and updates during the campaign process.
So, please do pledge to support the book - it would be so excellent to do this together!
P.s. hope to see you soon for a coffee/beer/cocktail/dog walk/revolution to overthrow the bourgeoisie (again, please delete as appropriate).
Please do edit and cut and trim and put into your own words as much as possible - but please do spread the word. We will reward you with unending gratitude and throw an absolutely stonking fun party to celebrate once we reach 100% (dogs will of course be invited).
Thank you again friends!
p.s. please accept this image of two very good dogs lending a paw as further paw-lending inspiration